It affects the liver, heart, eyes and brain. This is a parasitic pneumonia caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Bathing in common ponds can expose the nasal mucous to the parasite. Polyps result in nasal masses that need to be removed through surgery. It is more common in India and Sri Lanka but can occur elsewhere. It mainly affects the mucous of the nose, conjunctiva, and urethra. This is caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi. It exists in tropical regions and is transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. Malariaĭifferent types of plasmodium affect the red blood cells. It is transmitted through breathing in contaminated soil, swimming pools, and contaminated water, but not from drinking water. It affects the brain and the nervous system, and it is nearly always fatal within 1 to 18 days. This is passed on through a free-living ameba known as Naegleria fowleri. Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) The parasite is transmitted by types of sandflies. It can affect the skin, the viscera, or the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat. This is a disease that is passed on by parasites of the Leishmania family. It is passed on through the fecal-oral route. It exists worldwide and is both treatable and preventable. It affects the epithelial cells of the small intestine. This disease is caused by the Cystoisospora belli, previously known as Isospora belli. If humans ingest food or water contaminated with feces, dormant cysts may infect the body. Giardia, or “beaver fever” affects the lumen of the small intestine. It is transmitted through the fecal-oral route. It is more likely in tropical regions and in areas with high population density and poor sanitation. This is caused by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica. Dogs, cats, and humans cannot normally infect each other. It can also affect dogs and cats, but these are different kinds. Coccidia is passed on through the fecal-oral route. A person can get it by eating food or drink contaminated with human or animal feces where the parasite is present. The blastocystis enters humans through the fecal-oral route. It can be spread through direct contact with pigs or by drinking contaminated water, usually in tropical regions. This is passed on by Balatidium coli, a single-cell parasite that usually infects pigs but can, in rare cases, cause intestinal infection in humans. The risk is highest in summer in the Northeast and upper Midwest of the United States. This disease that comes from parasites that are spread by ticks. Individuals can become infected if they clean contact lenses with tap water. It exists all over the world in water and soil. This tiny ameba can affect the eye, the skin, and the brain. Here are some examples of parasites and the diseases they can cause. Many types of parasites can affect humans. A flea lives on a dog, but the flea may have a protozoan in its digestive tract. These feed on other parasites in a relationship known as hyperparasitism. The mosquito is a vector for many parasites, including the protozoan known as Plasmodium, which causes malaria. The vector transmits the endoparasite to the host. They include bacteria and viruses.Įndoparasites rely on a third organism, known as the vector, or carrier. An intercellular parasite lives in the spaces within the host’s body, within the host’s cells. They include heartworm, tapeworm, and flatworms. Different parasites have different effects. Parasites are not a disease, but they can spread diseases. Around 70 percent are not visible to the human eye, such as the malarial parasite, but some worm parasites can reach over 30 meters in length. It uses the host’s resources to maintain itself. The parasite uses the host’s resources to fuel its life cycle. Share on Pinterest Parasites range from microscopic in size to over 30 meters in length.Ī parasite is an organism that lives within or on a host.